It is generally known, and frequently required in the printing and paper handling industry, to place inserts into folded sheets or sheet packages. Frequently, newspapers, periodicals and the like have inserts added thereto, for example special advertising sections, special regional sections, prospectus material and the like. It has been proposed to roll off folded products received from a storage drum, provide an opening drum or cylinder element and to open the folded products on the storage drum thereon in order to apply the inserts. This arrangement requires substantial space and apparatus components. Opening already folded products is complicated and requires an overhang or overlap, increasing paper use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,212, Kobler, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,213, Hechler, both assigned to the assignee of the present application, describe arrangements in which folded products are positioned by means of carrier rods engaging beneath the fold line or spine of the folded products. The carrier rods are coupled to transport arrangements, to guide and transport the folded products. Inserts can be placed by interengagement of folded products, while the folded products hang from the carrier rods, with folded sheet elements spread apart. The apparatus works well, however requires a fair amount of space.